Chapter Text
Do you know many people who can list someone’s height, weight, career, early achievements, instagram handle, sponsors, career partners etc.? What a crazy fan you might chide, its borderline stalking! Well, Oscar Piastri was one of those so-called ‘crazy fans’ but preferred to be described as being dedicated instead. After all, no one criticised fans of… motorsport for example for knowing who won the championship each year. This was just his form of being a fanboy!
Oscar totally did not have a crush on a famous influencer named Lando Norris, totally didn't dream of meeting him and a lot more than that and totally didn’t own every single piece of merchandise there was to collect. His roommates (and best friends) constantly complained that he didn’t want to wake up every morning and see Landos’s face staring at him. Well too bad for Logan and Fred, because Oscar wouldn’t trade those for anything. (except TimTams because he was weak like that)
Lando was so suave and cool and basically perfect in his eyes and was also so cute and this was where he would get cut off by Logan and Fred because they did NOT want to listen to his intrusive thoughts. Goodness knows they were already traumatised from the one and only time they had shared their hear me outs.
The one time Oscar had shown them a picture of the twitch quartet, Fred had picked George and Logan had picked Alex, leaving poor Charles to weep in the (hypothetical) corner. To each their own i guess… he thought, sorely disappointed by their taste in men.
“Oscar!” Logan, the absolute child that he was, probably needed help. Again. That boy could burn water and cut himself with foam, but unless Logan was dying, Oscar did not want to get out of his warm comfy bed. “Oscar!” Now it was Fred’s accented voice calling him.
Fred never asked for help unless he was dying (long story) so he really needed to step up. Again. Stumbling down the stairs in his pajamas and rubbing his eyes, he called, “guys are you all dead?” Logan rushed to him within seconds and pulled him to the living room. Why was he in such a (Mc)Flurry? Was he getting married to fred and they needed him as the officiant?
“Check your email, check your email.” logan had not been this excited since…the fourth of july last year probably.(the boy was insufferably patriotic) In his email was…a letter from his company?
Dear Mr Piastri,
Your presence is requested at the ‘meet and greet’ session sponsored by Chrome to assist the guest and take photographs. Please respond to this email to let us know if you are available.
Regards,
McLaren Arts
“Sponsored by… Chrome?” Isn’t that one of…Lando’s sponsors? His mind scrolled through the ‘lando files’ and pulled out a document. Lando was apparently having a meet and greet session for one of his many, many sponsors. Oscar had gushed about it to Logan before looking at the ticket prices. His smile had faded instantly, knowing it was too expensive for a mere junior photographer to afford. Now he was getting the chance to meet his celebrity crush in real life? He had definitely sacrificed all his luck for the next ten years. Totally worth it.
“Oscar?” Logan was staring at him with a perplexed expression on his face. Fred was also scarily close to his face, as if trying to…eyeball his brains out? He was about to faint from number one: exhaustion and number two: the pure joy he was feeling with the fact that he was going to meet the one and only Lando Norris. After years of (as Logan would say:) pining and yearning, his dream was coming true!
Of course Lando would probably treat him like a wall, but just breathing the same air as LANDO NORRIS would be enough for him.
Did he pass out? Logan would say yes, he was such an attention seeker and Fred would say no he was just sleepy and closed his eyes. Oscar didn't know.
The morning had all mixed into one blur of exhaustion, amazement and elation and he was just taking a break, he convinced himself. He then wandered back into the dreamworld, his thoughts now full of cameras, celebrities and a certain Brit.
A week.
Oscar was not panicking.
Six days.
He definitely did not go to a clothing store to look at new clothes for the meet.
Five days.
He was not dreaming about meeting him.
Four days.
He was not ranting to Logan every time he could about how attractive Lando was.
Three days.
He was focusing on Andrea (his boss) briefing him about safety precautions.
Until…
“Oscar? You are trained in fighting?” Andrea’s voice snapped him out of another daze (really…that must have been his sixty seventh that week) “Fighting? Uh i guess? Not much of a qualification but I can do basic defense.” Oh man, Oscar did not know the implications of saying that. His life was going to get a lot messier.
Andrea and Zak (CEO or something like that) shared a quick look, then gestured for Oscar to follow them…out of the meeting room? He shakily got up, the extended sitting down and daydreams making his legs completely shaky.
“Oscar,” Andrea began once they were in another secluded room. Was this a kidnapping attempt? Was he gonna die? keeping an eye on the door, he quickly hmm-ed, wondering what on earth this was all about. Curiosity and a little bit of fear were fogging all his thoughts. He was apparently incapable of human thoughts other than those about Lando Norris. The only thing saving him was pure human instinct, if not he would be a goner. (He had almost been knocked down by a car on his way to work) Speaking about Lando, maybe Oscar stalked his instagram and maybe he didnt. If you opened Lando’s instagram, you could see that Oscar liked about three quarters of them. Random pictures, advertisements featuring him and thirst traps he all liked, so yes, by that definition, he did stalk a public figure on Instagram!
“You do know that one of the many guests of the event is the streamer Lando Norris right?” Andrea waited for Oscar's answering nod to continue. “As he is not that large of a celebrity, he does not have a bodyguard and his managing team asked if there was someone from our team who can conspicuously act as one.” Oscar nodded politely, not really understanding what Andrea was getting at. “So as McLaren Arts, we have appointed you as Mr Norris’ bodyguard for the event. You can help to get some behind the scenes shots and even mention your personal experience with him. Later, Lando will come here and meet you.” Wait…Lando doesn't have a bodyguard? Oscar was going to be his bodyguard? MEET LANDO LATER? Oscar Jack Piastri was going to meet his celebrity crush. In three hours. And act as his personal bodyguard and photographer. “Yes, I would be delighted to accept the role,” The professional mask was hiding an extremely excited 23 year old boy bouncing around like a bunny.
his boss nodded in approval and strolled off, leaving him vibrating with excitement.
Three days. Three hours.
Once he had stepped out for lunch break, he immediately dialed a very familiar number. “Yes, Oscar?” the familiar dry voice answered. “LOGAN I’M MEETING LANDO LATER!” Oscar could not remember the last time he was this loud. Most likely before university it seemed. “Woah woah chill. WAIT YOU’RE MEETING LANDO NORRIS LATER?” Logan was not as chilled as he had seemed to be. He proceeded to share his fears and worries like a ‘sane’ adult.
One hour.
Panic was a good look on him.
How was Oscar coping with this? “Nice to meet you, I'm Oscar Piastri.” he shook his head. That’s too informal, he's my guest! “My name is Oscar Piastri, wonderful to meet you.” Now that sounds like the robot some of his coworkers nicknamed him. He let out a very uncharacteristic scream, almost tearing his throat apart with it. How was he panicking before meeting the man himself? Polite and respectful, that was the angle he aimed for.
Ten minutes.
He was not counting the seconds under his breath.
Oscar Jack Piastri was not only cooked, he was deep fried, and baked and charred.
One minute.